Chapter 194: New Quest: Liberate Galoria

[New Quest: Liberate Galoria]

[New Sub Quest: Eliminate The Halfling Chief Warrior, Pumba Using Sacrificial Magic]

[Description: As the consistent figure in the Halfling armed forces for more than three decades, the entire Halfling fighting force depends deeply on its Chief Warrior. Should he be removed, not only will the Halfling army fall into chaos, it will require time to reorganize and appoint a new leader, giving the Gnolls time to better prepare for what is to come.]

[Reward: Unknown.]

Ka'z stared at the information floating before him with an ugly expression. His fingers slowly tightened around the fur of North's saddle as he reread the sub quest several times, hoping he had somehow misunderstood what the System was asking of him. He hadn't.

"Bastards, you are truly going to force me to use it?"

His voice was low enough that the Gnolls around the camp did not hear him clearly. The anger building inside him wasn't directed at the Gnolls or even Pumba. It was directed at the System and the Greater Kobold. He had already made his decision regarding Sacrificial Magic. He had sworn never to use the element unless there was absolutely no other choice, and now the System had placed a mission directly in front of him that demanded he use it.

It was deeply infuriating.

Ka'z had barely finished reading the information when he heard movement nearby.

Thud!

His eyes immediately shifted toward the sound. Layla had risen from where she had been resting and was now standing several steps away, staring at him intently. Her ears were raised, and her head tilted slightly as she studied his expression.

"You are staring into the distance so seriously. I could have sworn something is there. Is something the matter?" Layla asked.

Ka'z didn't respond to the question. His eyes remained on her for a moment before he asked one of his own.

"Who is Pumba?"

The moment the name left his mouth, the entire atmosphere around the camp changed.

Buzzz!

Every Gnoll went silent.

Layla's ears shot upright. Tega slowly turned his head toward Ka'z, while Olaf and Luke immediately rose to their feet. The three larger Gnolls walked toward Layla until they were standing beside her, their eyes fixed on Ka'z with expressions of disbelief.

For several seconds, nobody said anything.

"How do you know that name?" Tega finally muttered as he rose completely and stepped closer.

Ka'z looked at the four Gnolls surrounding him and shrugged indifferently. "I'm sure you four snooped around enough to hear talks of me being the Child of Prophecy and how I destroyed the Ashmork village without losing a single person."

The response only made their expressions worse.

Their eyes widened, and even Layla seemed unable to find the right words. They had heard the stories while staying in Vaal'kor. They had heard how a small group of kobolds had destroyed an entire goblin settlement containing hundreds of people.

They had heard that Ka'z had supposedly led the assault without losing a single warrior. They had also heard the stories about the Child of Prophecy receiving guidance from the heavens. But they had always assumed there was exaggeration involved.

"They are not exaggerations?" Luke spoke for the very first time.

His deep voice surprised Ka'z. It was completely different from the silent personality he had displayed since introducing himself, and the seriousness behind the question made it clear that he was genuinely disturbed by the possibility.

Ka'z shook his head.

"Everything they said is true. I receive visions and instructions from the heavens that guided me throughout the war in Ashmork and led to my uncontested victory."

Buzzz!

Every Gnoll shuddered.

Their ears twitched, their bodies stiffened, and they exchanged confused glances. Even Olaf's previously confident expression had changed. The revelation was not merely interesting to them. It fundamentally changed how they viewed the person sitting before them.

If Ka'z truly received direct guidance from the heavens, then his victory against Ashmork could no longer be dismissed as luck, good planning, or clever tactics.

"Please... If I may ask, does the heavens say anything about our clan?" Layla asked cautiously.

Ka'z's expression immediately hardened.

He raised his hand, stopping her before she could continue. "I asked a question, and the answer must come before any other thing. If you cannot do as I say, what is the point of bringing me here?"

The Gnolls fell silent.

Ka'z refused to allow himself to be derailed by their questions. If he compromised now and allowed them to interrogate him whenever he revealed information from his visions, it would eventually become a habit.

Every time he demanded something, they would begin asking questions first. Every time his missions conflicted with their beliefs, they could potentially withhold information or attempt to negotiate with him before answering.

That was not a relationship Ka'z was willing to establish.

He needed them to understand that this was not a partnership between equals where everyone could simply demand whatever information they wanted. They were the ones who had sought him out because they needed his help. If they wanted him to fight for them, they needed to cooperate with him.

"I apologize. We were just shocked by the revelation." Tega quickly said, lowering his head slightly.

Ka'z understood the reason behind their heistation.

The idea that one individual had helped destroy more than eighty percent of the Ashmork population without losing a single person was absurd enough that nobody had truly believed it until now. Yet if the story was true, then perhaps the impossible war they were facing was not as hopeless as they had assumed.

"Pumba is the Chief Warrior of the Halflings. He is a Gold Core magic beast. He was the one who personally made the demands for our mines..." Olaf finally explained.

Despite his imposing size and tough exterior, Ka'z immediately noticed something unusual about him. Olaf's fur was standing straight across his body, and his posture had become rigid. His instincts were clearly on high alert simply from discussing Pumba.

"Really?" Ka'z muttered in surprise as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

A Gold Core magic beast... That changed things.

Pumba was essentially the equivalent of Kong'gong, except without the old kobold's blindness and with what was likely decades of actual combat experience. He was not simply the strongest warrior among the Halflings. He had apparently spent more than three decades serving as their Chief Warrior, meaning he had likely accumulated an enormous amount of combat experience during that time.

Ka'z's expression became more thoughtful.

Now he understood things clearly.

The Greater Kobold wasn't necessarily trying to force him down the path of Sacrificial Magic. The System wasn't necessarily trying to corrupt him either. There was simply an opponent standing in front of him whom he could not defeat through his current abilities.

And that was exactly why Sacrificial Magic had appeared.

Huff!

Ka'z exhaled loudly and leaned against the tree behind him, closing his eyes as he considered the situation. He remained silent for several seconds while the Gnolls watched him carefully.

'Show me what my Sacrificial Spell is capable of.' He whispered inwardly.

His eyes opened and the familiar System panel immediately appeared before him.

[Reward: Sacrificial Magic Origin Script: Poppet]

[Description: Preparing a doll representation of a target, the user can directly harm the target by attacking the doll. Whatever damage done to the doll is replicated on the target.]

[Requirements: A piece of hair from the target and two drops of their blood is needed during the doll creation to establish a link between the doll and target.]

Ka'z stared at the description.

His expression slowly changed as he read the requirements again. A doll representing Pumba, connected directly to his body through his hair and blood. Anything done to the doll would be reflected on the actual target.

It was disturbing but more importantly, it was terrifyingly practical. If he could somehow acquire those two things, Pumba would no longer need to stand in front of him for Ka'z to attack him. He could potentially kill a Gold Core opponent without ever exchanging a single blow.

But obtaining the materials was the problem.

Ka'z lifted his head and looked toward the several expectant faces surrounding him.

"I have been tasked with killing Pumba." Ka'z finally said.

Buzzz!

Everyone's face immediately turned ugly.

The Gnolls exchanged uneasy looks. They knew exactly how powerful Pumba was. Ka'z was undoubtedly the second most powerful individual they had encountered since arriving in Vaal'kor, but even they understood that he was not as strong as Pumba.

The difference between a powerful Silver Core Magus and a seasoned Gold Core Magus was not something they could casually ignore.

"But the heavens demand I use my Sacrificial Magic to do it..." Ka'z continued, his voice becoming quieter as he looked at the System panel again. "Is there a means in which I can get close to him?"